This invention relates to devices used to practice drumming and, more specifically, to practice pads.
When learning to play the drums or warming up before a performance, it is often useful to have a surface other than an actual drum on which to practice. For example, noise is unacceptable to others in many settings where a drummer would have the time and inclination to practice. Likewise, since drumsticks are readily transported but the drums themselves are not, and since drums also require open floor space for set-up, there are many situations which would be suitable for practice but where, as a practical matter, a drummer cannot have drums.
Various types of drum practice pads have been proposed in the past, as exemplified by the following patents:
______________________________________ Patent No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 2,565,225 Gladstone Aug. 21, 1951 3,597,520 Andrews Aug. 3, 1971 4,102,235 LeMasters Jul. 25, 1978 4,179,974 Trankle Dec. 25, 1979 4,406,207 Criscione Sep. 27, 1983 D320,035 Magruder Sep. 17, 1991 D348,479 O'Connor Jul. 5, 1994 ______________________________________
Some practice pads, such as in the above-referenced LeMasters and Gladstone patents, are designed for use on the playing head of a drum. There are other types of practice pads, such as those in the above-referenced O'Connor and Criscione patents, that are provided with their own means of support, such as a support stand or a mounting structure adapted to be strapped around a drummer's leg. Another type of practice pad is designed for use on a table or other suitable supporting object.
Practice pads designed for tabletop use and the like have conventionally had either a large piece of rubber, which is fairly thick, to provide sufficient resiliency and also protect the underlying surface, or multiple layers provided for different purposes. For example, in the past, a three-piece design has been utilized consisting of a rigid substrate sandwiched between two layers of gum rubber. The top layer of rubber provided a striking surface. The rigid substrate, consisting of either metal or wood, provided both support for the top and bottom layers of rubber and weight to help keep the device stationary. The bottom surface of the bottom layer of rubber was roughened to reduce sliding or lateral movement of the pad on the underlying surface, which is known to be likely to occur when a pad simply placed on a supporting surface is struck with drumsticks. With the present state of the art, the better these devices are at resisting movement in use, the heavier and more cumbersome they become. Also, additional manufacturing steps performed to increase gripping ability add to production time and costs.
Thus, there remains a need for a practice pad that meets the following requirements:
1. It must be simple and inexpensive to manufacture; PA1 2. It must be durable; PA1 3. It must have sufficient resiliency so as to simulate the tactile response of an actual drum while protecting the supporting surface; PA1 4. It must not move about on the table, or other suitable means of support, when being struck; PA1 5. It must sufficiently dampen or mute the sound so as to minimize the disturbance to others; and PA1 6. It must be lightweight and easily transported and used.